Mother's Day & Memories

It seems like everyone is doing a blog post about Mother's Day. Those of us who still have our mothers here to spend the day with are so blessed. I can't imagine not having her.

We spent some time with mom today. My sisters were both there with their families. Being the scrapbooker and blogger that I am, I insisted on pictures. Here is a group photo taken today at mom's with my sisters and I standing behind mom.

 Pictured are my older sister, Bev, my younger sister, Sonya and myself

with our mother.

I love the time we spend together. You can usually find mom with me every weekend when I have to make my routine trip the ever-growing Wal-Mart list... which it seems is never completed.

We shared some memories today. One I had forgotten that my little sister, Sonya told. We were discussing "whippins"... remember, we're country people in Kentucky. Some people spank their kids. Parents in Kentucky (if they have to and still believe in it) WHIP their kids. My younger sister and I were trying to recall getting one of these whippins. I can't recall a single one. Honest! I was a good kid!! Either that or I was beat half to death and have blocked those memories from my brain completely to keep myself from expensive therapy sessions.

My little sister did come up with a memory though. She remembers the time we BOTH got one for the same time. I still didn't recall it when she told this story but I'm sure it must have happened. When we were little... I don't think Sonya had even started school yet... my dad had built the house we lived in and it was still not completely finished. We took our baths next door at my Granny's house. "Next" didn't mean 20 feet from our front door. "Next door" was down a LONG dirt driveway that ran beside my granny's pond and across the road to her house. So my mom left us there to get our baths while she walked to our house. I was the older one and evidently capable but that wasn't enough for Sonya. She wasn't staying with only ME to walk her home and it was getting dark fast! So she rushed through a quick bath, probably only hitting highlights. I was FORCED to do the same to get her safely home since she wasn't waiting for me. Sonya recalls us BOTH getting a whippin' because mom was SURE we couldn't have both bathed that fast! And I'm sure she would have been right. I don't remember any of that. :o)

But I will always remember the beautiful person my mother has always been, and has taught me to be. I get my strong emotional side from her. Thank you mom for teaching me to love with my whole heart, and to laugh deeply when something is funny. Thank you for teaching me that it's okay to cry when I hurt. And thank you for being the best Christian mother anyone could have and for teaching me the importance of prayer, faith, unconditional love, trust and forgiveness. I love you mom!

As we were leaving mom's today I grabbed my camera and snapped this pic

of mom standing in front of her climbing rose bush.